For Local Professionals

Welcome to the

Building Retrofit Information Hub For Professionals

High energy prices and climate concerns mean more and more Herefordshire homeowners want to embark on a whole house retrofit – or want to know that their home is insulated well enough for a heat pump to make sense. Yet they really struggle to find the expertise they need locally.

We know that good building firms and heating installers in Herefordshire are busy. There’s not time to find out where to acquire the skills needed to deliver high-quality retrofit, which is where BUILDING SENSE from Herefordshire Green Network can help. We’re providing training, resources and collaboration opportunities to local building professionals that want to develop their sustainable and low-carbon construction knowledge and skills to meet their customers’ needs.

High Quality Fully Funded Training

We’re inviting a small number of Herefordshire building firms to step into retrofit and low-energy construction this summer via the Green Register’s skills-building Futureproof Essentials course. Its trainers are all experts in their field and offer a great opportunity to kickstart your knowledge.

Thanks to the Future Ready Homes project, we’ve got 12 5 fully funded places available to builders, heating installers and associated trades, for people who want to offer their clients the benefit of their expertise in sustainable and low-carbon construction, who have a desire to learn, will share their experiences with others and work locally in Herefordshire.

The Futureproof Essentials online course will give you an understanding of the Whole House Retrofit (WHR) approach. You’ll learn all about the key issues of sustainable retrofit, making buildings more energy efficient, comfortable and healthy.

Find out more: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1EvpnzqJ08OQichobYZi6_rAu4CAvnb-v/view?usp=sharing

Apply: forms.gle/mEGNYBvYup3ymMyd8

Join the building sense network

We’re building a network of builders, educators, heating installers and associated professionals that are passionate about sustainability and climate change. We’re arranging socials, providing training, sharing information, putting you in touch with likeminded customers and making sure you hear about the latest retrofit developments in Herefordshire.

Click here to join our network

Click here to read our recent newsletter

RETROFIT SKILLS & TRAINING SUMMIT

On Friday 17th February over 60 representatives from a broad range of interest groups gathered at the Herefordshire and Marches RETROFIT SKILLS AND TRAINING SUMMIT to discuss the retrofit skills revolution needed to meet national and regional goals for building decarbonisation and net zero, and growing householder demand for homes that are comfortable, sustainable and affordable to run.

16 quickfire presentations across three sessions described the urgent need for whole house retrofit, the scale of the challenge nationally and locally and the wider opportunity it presents economically, environmentally and socially. We heard about the demand (and money) that’s already there in the able to pay market and growing with local support and activity promoting retrofit. And the opportunity integrating retrofit into the existing 11bn annual UK maintenance, repair and renovation market presents. But we heard repeatedly the challenge is delivery — the scale of need outpaces supply. That retrofit doesn’t just have to be done — it has to be done right. That a whole house approach must be taken — not the over emphasis on green tech we currently have. And that retrofit is part of complex system — a system that needs to change.

Links to the presentations (where there was one) and a recording of each of the sessions is provided below so you can find out more about the arguments made and solutions put forward.

Session 1 – National and Marches context

  • Why Herefordshire has ambitions for retrofit Cllr Ellie Chowns, Herefordshire Council Cabinet Member – Environment and Economy; Vice-Chairperson of Employment Panel; and Group Leader for The Green Party, and current Chair of Herefordshire Climate and Nature Partnership Board
  • The CITB Net Zero Action Plan Sandra Stevens, Construction Industry Training Board Marches/West Midlands CLICK FOR PRESENTATION
  • Retrofit and the Midlands Net Zero Hub Alex Pearson, Net Zero Projects Manager, Midlands Net Zero Hub CLICK FOR PRESENTATION
  • Herefordshire’s strategy for retrofit and low-carbon heating Gareth Ellis, Sustainability and Climate Change Officer, Herefordshire Council CLICK FOR PRESENTATION
  • How the Warmer Homes ERDF project has transformed properties in Herefordshire, its impact on Connexus zero carbon planning, and insights into the retrofit skills and PAS 2035 requirements for government grant-funded projects. Rosemary Coyne, Warmer Homes ERDF Compliance and Co-ordination Project Manager at Connexus and Co-ordinator for the Sustainable Housing Action Partnership (SHAP) CLICK FOR PRESENTATION
  • Future Ready Homes Tony Baker, Project Manager, Marches Energy Agency CLICK FOR PRESENTATION

Session 2

  • Introducing the Marches Local Skills Improvement Plan Marie Ganderton, Herefordshire and Worcestershire Chamber of Commerce / LSIP
  • Going mainstream. Why general builders working in the RMI (repair, maintenance and improvement) sector could be in the frontline in promoting and delivering retrofit Dr Catrin Maby OBE, Monmouthshire Council Cabinet Member for Climate Change and the Environment, and Member of BSI Committee CB/401 Retrofitting Energy Efficiency Measures CLICK FOR PRESENTATION
  • Architects’ views – working with contractors to deliver retrofit projects Elly Deacon-Smith, Arbor Architects and Herefordshire CNPB Buildings Subgroup AND Emily Partridge, Architect with Architype, and CNPB Buildings Subgroup CLICK FOR PRESENTATION
  • A builder’s view – skills needed to deliver retrofit projects Adrian Speller, Technical Director, Speller Metcalfe CLICK FOR PRESENTATION
  • Appropriate retrofit of historic buildings, and ensuring the skills to deliver it Prof. John Edwards, Member BSI Retrofit Standards Task Group; Professor in Practice, University in Wales Trinity St David; Director, Edwards Hart Consultants CLICK FOR PRESENTATION
  • An overview of training from The Green Register, and what’s been learned Julia Bennett, Co-Director, The Green Register CLICK FOR PRESENTATION
  • An outline of the key skills needed for successful delivery and long-term performance of retrofit Andrew Simmonds, CEO, Association for Environment Conscious Building

Session 3

  • The Marches Education Partnership – a Strategic Development Fund (SDF) project between Herefordshire, Ludlow & North Shropshire College, Shrewsbury Colleges Group, and Telford College Mike Coakham, HLNSC & MEP CLICK FOR PRESENTATION
  • The AECB Retrofit Standard, along with specific training for retrofit Andrew Simmonds, CEO, Association for Environment Conscious Building CLICK FOR PRESENTATION
  • The need for change – outline of a high level national retrofit systems change model Rosemary Coyne, SHAP Co-ordinator CLICK FOR PRESENTATION